1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to person-to-person resuscitation devices, and more particularly to such a resuscitation device that protects both the passive and active breather from exchange of bodily fluids which may carry disease and at the same time is so compact that it can easily be carried in an ordinary-sized clothes pocket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices to facilitate "mouth-to-mouth" resuscitation have been well-known for more than thirty years and are widely used by nurses, emergency personnel, physicians and the general public, particularly since cardiac-pulmonary respiration (CPR) has become widely taught. Such resuscitation devices are sometimes referred to as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation devices, however this phraseology is not accurate since the device usually covers the patient's nose as well as mouth. We shall refer to them herein as person-to-person resuscitation devices, which is not only accurate, but also serves to distinguish the devices from mechanical resuscitation devices which involve a different set of problems and constraints. The person-to-person resuscitation devices are also sometimes called ventilation masks. Numerous ventilation masks have been developed. Most include a mouthpiece or other means for receiving the rescuer's or active breather's breath, a face mask or other means for applying the breath to the patient or passive breather, and a one-way valve connecting the mouthpiece and the mask. The device is used by placing the face mask about the patient's nose and mouth and blowing through the mouthpiece. All of the ventilation masks prevent mouth-to-mouth contact between rescuer and patient. Most are transparent to permit the rescuer to watch for patient lip color, regurgitation, etc. Other features found in prior art ventilation masks include cone-shaped, rigid plastic mask structures, inflatable, donut-shaped bladders about the large end of the cone for forming a seal between the patient and the mask about the breathing organs of the patient, and ported valves which permit the patient to exhale even when the mouthpiece is closed by the rescuer's mouth.
One goal of ventilation mask designers has been small size, since the smaller the mask, the easier it is to carry and thus have it readily available in emergencies. Some of the ventilation masks are relatively small, although, until now, none have yet been small enough to be easily carried in an ordinary-sized clothes pocket.
Another goal of ventilation mask designers has been to reduce the possibility of the exchange of bodily fluids in order to prevent the transmission of disease. To this end, features designed into ventilation masks have included one-way valves which permit the active breather's breath to pass to the passive breather and prevent the passive breather's breath or other fluid from passing back to the active breather and vents which vent the passive breather's breath away from the active breather's face. However such face masks have invariably also been relatively large and difficult to assemble, which is a significant disadvantage in an emergency situation.